Mbappé Apologises as Three Chinese Brands End Partnerships

Kylian Mbappé apologised to people in China and Chinese communities worldwide on Tuesday after three Chinese companies announced they were ending commercial partnerships with the French footballer. The decisions followed online circulation of a clip that appeared to show him discussing a meme involving a Chinese dictator, but the footage has not been independently authenticated. In a statement on social media, the Real Madrid forward said his comment about an image of himself was ill-judged and that he understood it had hurt people. He apologised to those upset by his words, said causing offence was not his intention and expressed respect for Chinese people and their history. The clip appears to show Mbappé describing a meme in which his face is edited onto an image resembling Mao Zedong, China’s former leader. In the footage, he refers to a “Chinese dictator,” but does not name Mao. The original recording, the clip’s completeness and its context have not been established, so the precise exchange remains unverified. Beverage maker Dongpeng, dairy producer Mengniu and cheese company Milkground announced they were ending cooperation with Mbappé. Their statements said they...